A great alternative to a smoothie drink, this chocolate smoothie bowl is made with raspberries, yoghurt, tahini, cocoa powder, chia seeds, oats and topped up with cocoa nibs, raspberries and other toppings of your choice. Perfect as a breakfast or a healthy snack.
Why make this chocolate smoothie bowl recipe?
- This is ‘No Banana’ smoothie bowl recipe
- Easy to make breakfast recipe, perfect for summer or spring
- Nutritional & healthy recipe, that can replace your breakfast
- Easy to digest
- Make it differently every day by adding various toppings and changing the ingredients.
- No need to use ice cubes or frozen vegetables or fruit if you don’t want to
PIN & KEEP FOR LATER
MORE HEALTHY CHOCOLATE TREATS
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- Chocolate Flummery (Traditional Oats Pudding) >>
What exactly is a smoothie bowl?
A smoothie bowl is a thicker version of a breakfast smoothie, which is served in a bowl and decorated with various toppings, including fruit, seeds and edible flowers.
Most recipes are made with fresh or frozen fruit or vegetables, dairy or non-dairy milk and ice cubes, which are blended together, then scooped into a bowl and garnished with toppings.
My take on the chocolate smoothie bowl recipe
I like to add more protein (like cream cheese, peanut, cashew or almond butter or tahini) and healthy fibre (like oats, chia seeds, flax seeds) or carbohydrates (like millet, oats or rice flakes) to thicken my smoothies and to give me more energy.
Unlike other recipes for smoothie bowls, I prefer not to use ice cubes or freeze my fruit or milk in advance. I prefer to use other ingredients, such as oats to thicken my smoothie. I suffer from IBS and find that excess coldness just stresses my digestive system out too much. I prefer to eat my smoothie bowls at room temperature and not nearly frozen. I even sometimes warm them up – especially in the winter.
If you prefer your smoothie bowl on a colder side, just use ice cubes instead of some of the yoghurt and use frozen zucchini and raspberries instead of fresh vegetables or fruit.
I also don’t add too much sugar or sweetener (even if it’s natural like dates, honey or agave syrup). I tend to leave the smoothie base without sweetener and then add some on top if it really needs it.
As a chocolatier, I work with chocolate all the time, so I use dark 70-90% cocoa solids chocolate (or suitable dark chocolate substitute) or dark unsweetened cocoa powder. Dark chocolate adds flavour and the smoothie doesn’t seem to need a lot of extra flavour or sweeteners, which I think is great.
There are lots of other fruit or floral flavours that work well with this recipe, such as Chocolate & Rose, Strawberry & Chocolate, Blackberry & Chocolate or any other red berries that are in season.
EASY CHOCOLATE DESSERTS
Why ‘no banana’ chocolate smoothie bowl?
I know, I know, bananas go so well with chocolate, don’t they? But sometimes it’s nice to have a recipe without them and I make my chocolate smoothie bowl with other fruits and vegetables.
Bananas are also not that great for people with digestive difficulties, as they contain a lot of sugar, especially if you leave them to ripen. It’s recommended that a person with IBS doesn’t have more than 1/2 banana daily and it should be green (not ripened). Well, to be honest, I’d rather not have a banana at all or have a proper nicely ripened banana chocolate smoothie and suffer the consequences (and I often do…).
Can I make this chocolate smoothie bowl recipe into a smoothie?
Yes, if you fancy having a smoothie drink instead of thicker smoothie bowl, just add more water or swap the yoghurt for milk (or plant based milk) and add extra 1/4 cup of milk or water.
You don’t need to change the rest of the ingredients, but this chocolate & berry smoothie bowl recipe will make two large glasses of smoothie. The second smoothie will keep in the fridge for few hours (or up to 12 hrs) and you might need to stir it in before serving again (as the content might separate a little).
My top tips on making this recipe successfully first time round
Start with less liquid (including ice-cubes if using) than the recipe states and only add it in, if the mixture is too thick (remember this recipe ment to be smooth and thick)
You don’t need to use ice-cubes if you don’t want to. In fact I often warm up my smoothie bowl in a microwave and eat it warm in the winter. Ice-cubes water down the recipe, so bear that in mind when adding them in
If you have the time, leave the smoothie bowl to rest for 10-20 minutes to allow for all the dry ingredients (like the chia seeds or oats) to soak up more liquid. This will make the smoothie bowl even more digestible.
Tips to get the chocolate & berry flavour right
- Start with a good quality cocoa powder (or suitable cocoa powder substitute) or use dark chocolate with 50-70% cocoa solids
- Use fresh raspberries grown locally and in season (if you can)
- Add a dash of lemon juice to bring out the raspberry flavour
- Add raspberry or strawberry (or other berry) jam in to the mixture instead of honey or other sweetener
Any specialist equipment needed?
You will need a hand blender or food processor to make your breakfast smoothie bowl.
It’s difficult to make it without it, but you don’t need to have any fancy food processor. I use a basic hand-held blender and it works just fine.
Chocolate Smoothie Base Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup white yoghurt Greek yoghurt dairy free, plant based yoghurt
- 1/2 cup courgette, zucchini (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon tahini light paste
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon flaxmeal seeds ground
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon oats
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or raspberry jam or other sweetener of your choice (optional)
- tiny pinch of fine salt
Toppings – choose 2-3
- 1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
- 1-2 tablespoons raspberries
- 1 tablespoon granola
- 1 tablespoon chocolate dark or milk chocolate (grated or in small pieces)
- 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon coconut flakes or sheded coconut
- 1 teaspoon honey,agave syrup or date surup to drizzle over the toppings
How to make Chocolate & Raspberry Smoothie Bowl recipe
Add the yoghurt, cocoa powder, tahini, courgette (zucchini), raspberries, oats, flaxseeds, chia seeds, lemon juice and a few grains of salt into a food processor or a blender. Blend everything until it’s thick and smooth.
Taste the chocolate smoothie and adjust the taste by adding any sweetener (e.g. honey) or more cocoa powder.
Pour or spoon the chocolate smoothie into the breakfast bowl. It should be nice and thick.
Top the smoothie with more raspberries, cocoa nibs, coconut flakes, granola or any other toppings of your choice.
The chocolate smoothie bowl is ready to be eaten straight away, but you can leave it for 10-20 minutes to allow for the dry ingredients to absorb more water and make the smoothie even more digestible.
Tailor this recipe to your diet
- Vegan – use plant based yoghurt (everything else is already vegan friendly)
- Gluten – Free – use gluten free oats or cooked rice flakes (or rice) or leave them out altogether
- Dairy – Free – use plant based yoghurt (soya yoghurt or coconut yogurt)
- Low FODMAP diet (easy on your digestive system) – leave out the honey or use agave syrup, use plant based yogurt, the rest is already suitable for Low FODMAP
Serving size
This recipe is for 1 large serving of breakfast smoothie bowl, which replaces a breakfast. Alternatively, you can make it into 2 smaller portions for smaller appetites or use it as a pudding or an afternoon healthy snack.
Can this smoothie bowl be made in advance?
Make this recipe in double or triple quantity, divide between plastic freezer friendly bowls, add lids (or use a strong cling film) and freeze.
When you are ready to have your breakfast smoothie bowl, take it out the night before and defrost in the fridge. In the morning top it up with your choice of topping and enjoy your breakfast!
The smoothie bowl can also sit for about 10-20 minutes (or up to 1 hr) at room temperature without any harm.
Alternatively, you can prepare your chocolate smoothie bowl in the evening (I often do), scoop it out to a bowl, but don’t add topping, cover and leave overnight in the fridge. In the morning just add your favourite toppings and your breakfast is ready!
How to store this recipe if you have any leftovers
If you have any leftovers, your breakfast smoothie bowl will be fine in the fridge for 12-24 hrs. If you know that you won’t be able to finish your smoothie within that time, it’s best to freeze it (unless you’ve already frozen in before).
Why not stay in touch…
I hope you enjoy making this recipe and if you do, I’d love to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or find me on Instagram or Facebook and add the hashtag #cocoaandheart so that I can see your post.
Or why not subscribe to my weekly newsletter with new recipes and baking tips straight to your mailbox.
Magdalena
Chocolate & Raspberry Smoothie Bowl (no banana)
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
Chocolate Smoothie Base
- 1/2 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup white yoghurt Greek yoghurt dairy free, plant based yoghurt
- 1/2 cup courgette zucchini (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon tahini light paste
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon flaxmeal seeds ground
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon oats
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or raspberry jam or other sweetener of your choice (optional)
- tiny pinch of fine salt
Toppings – choose 2-3
- 1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
- 1-2 tablespoons raspberries
- 1 tablespoon granola
- 1 tablespoon chocolate dark or milk chocolate (grated or in small pieces)
- 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon coconut flakes or sheded coconut
- 1 teaspoon honey,agave syrup or date surup to drizzle over the toppings
Instructions
- Add the yoghurt, cocoa powder, tahini, courgette (zucchini), raspberries, oats, flaxseeds, chia seeds, lemon juice and a few grains of salt into a food processor or a blender. Blend everything until it's thick and smooth.
- Taste the chocolate smoothie and adjust the taste by adding any sweetener (e.g. honey) or more cocoa powder.
- Pour or spoon the chocolate smoothie into breakfast bowl. It should be nice and thick.
- Top the smoothie with more raspberries, cocoa nibs, coconut flakes, granola or any other toppings of your choice.
- The chocolate smoothie bowl is ready to be eaten straightaway, but you can leave it for 10-20 minutes to allow for the dry ingredients to absorbe more water and make the smoothie even more digestible.
Notes
This recipe was originally written on 6 July 2021 and last tested and updated on 30 April 2023
Casey Garvey says
So nice to find a chocolate smoothie bowl recipe without bananas – I loved all the flavours in this one! So far I’ve made it with raspberries, but also with avocado and blueberries. It seems to work with a lot of different flavours, so thank you for sharing this recipe!